Life's Cookbook
by Willowsnake
Summary: Fresh out of culinary school, Joey is immediately hired due to his reputation as a fine and skilled chef. However, he doesn't know who his boss is until it's too late. REVISED!
1. Appetizer

Disclaimer – I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

*Rated T for Teen

* * *

**Summary**: Fresh out of culinary school, Joey is immediately hired due to his reputation as a fine and skilled chef. However, he doesn't know who his boss is until it's too late.

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Appetizer**

"What do ya mean I got hired?" Joey asked, staring blankly at his culinary instructor.

"I don't want to see a talent like yours wasted, so I spread the word that there was a skillful individual in need of work and you were hired almost immediately," answered the man, beaming brightly at him.

"Ya can't just go around and talk about people like that! What if it's some creepy serial killer dude?"

"I highly doubt that," the blond's instructor deadpanned. "And believe me, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. You're going to become the personal chef of prestigious young man and live at his estate. If you stick with this for at least a year, your resume will be through the roof! You'd be able to get a job anywhere at that point."

Joey sighed, contemplating on his situation. The guy had a point. He'd been lucky enough to earn a scholarship to go to culinary school and he'd blown everyone away with his cooking. But now that he'd graduated, he'd originally had nowhere to go _or _work. So maybe—just maybe—this was the fresh start he needed.

"Okay," said Joey, nodding diligently. "I'll do it."

* * *

Standing outside of the culinary school with everything he owned—which wasn't much—the blond waited for his supposed ride to show up. He _still _didn't know who he was working for, but he hoped that whoever it was, that they'd just leave him alone to cook in peace.

And if cooking was all he was doing…what the hell was he supposed to spend the rest of his time doing on an estate? What would he actually be _allowed _to do?

Suddenly, a black limo pulled up alongside the curb. It stopped and a driver soon stepped out.

"Mr. Wheeler, I presume?" inquired the driver.

"Uh, yeah?"

Joey watched, dumbfounded, as the driver came to his side and opened the door for him, beckoning him to get inside the limo. But he didn't move.

"I'll take care of your bags, sir. Please, have a seat inside."

Abandoning his bags on the sidewalk, the blond slipped inside the limo, jumping when the door slammed shut as soon as he made it inside. Peering through the tinted windows, he watched as the driver delicately placed his bags in the trunk and proceeded toward the front, where he slid into the driver's seat. A few seconds later, they were off.

Taking in his new surroundings, Joey gawked at the leather interior, still awed by the fact that he was riding in a limo. As he leaned back, making himself a bit more comfortable, he crossed his arms behind his head. His thoughts drifted to wherever he might be going. Would it still be in Domino? Would he have to stay at the estate all the time? Would he even have days off or vacation time?

The blond hadn't realized how long he'd been thinking these things until the limo started slowly down. Returning his attention to outside the tinted glass once more, he felt his blood run cold. They'd stopped in front of a large gate…with two giant letters on them…two _familiar_ giant letters on them.

KC

The gates opened. And the limo pulled up to a large estate, but not just _any _large estate. It was the fucking Kaiba Mansion!

_No. Nononononononono! I can't work for Kaiba! I'm not gonna work for that fuckin' bastard!_ Joey screamed in his mind. He started yanking on the door handle, eager to jump out of the moving vehicle and run for it. But the door was locked.

"Fuck," he mumbled under his breath. There was no way in _hell_ he was going to work for Kaiba. He could just imagine it already. Being called Mutt every two seconds, being sneered and glared at with everything he did, having his food called dog slop. There was just no way he'd put up with this! He wouldn't even give it a chance!

Then again…what other option did he have at the moment? It wasn't like he had a load of jobs lined up. Perhaps he'd just have to grin and bear it for now until he found something else.

When the limo finally stopped, the driver let him out. And Joey was all too glad to be free from the confines of _Kaiba's_ limo.

"Your bags will be sent up to your room in a bit. Just head on up to the front. The young master will be there to greet you," stated the driver.

Joey steeled himself for the worst. Swallowing with great difficulty, the blond reached the front doors of the mansion. He was about to knock when said doors immediately flung open and a small mass came hurdling toward him.

"You're here! I can't believe you're finally here!"

"Mokuba?"

The young Kaiba pulled away and stared up at Joey. "Yep! Were you expecting Seto instead?"

"Uh, kinda. Do ya have any idea why he hired me? Cuz I just don't get it."

Laughter soon filled the blond's ears as the thirteen-year-old boy tried to get himself under control. "Seto didn't hire you, Joey. I did. I got tired of trying to cook and failing all the time, so I decided to finally hire us a chef. It was just by chance that I came across you. And you were highly recommended, too."

"Let me get this straight. _You're_ the one who hired me?" Joey asked, trying to put two and two together.

"Yeah."

"Does your brother know?"

Mokuba fidgeted. "He knows I hired a personal chef."

Then it dawned on him. Kaiba…didn't…know…

"YA MEAN HE DOESN'T KNOW I'M HERE?"

* * *

_**Blue Cheese Baguette Spread**_

8 ounces of low-fat cream cheese, room temperature  
1/4 cup (2 ounces) Blue cheese, crumbled  
3 tablespoons walnuts, coarsely chopped, toasted  
1 tablespoon fresh chives, snipped  
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped  
Kosher salt, to taste  
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste  
Baguette bread, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Mix the first 7 ingredients together and spread on bread slices or place the mixture in a small bowl as a dip for the bread or baked bagel chips. Garnish with more chives, walnuts, and serve.

_Can be made ahead of time and refrigerated._

* * *

**End Chapter**


	2. Soup

Disclaimer – I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

*Rated T for Teen

* * *

**Chapter 2 – Soup**

"What the heck is wrong with ya?" Joey exclaimed, his arms flailing wildly. "Your brother hates my guts! As soon as he sees me, he'll fire me on the spot!"

"Joey," started Mokuba, hoping to appease the distraught blond, "Seto can't fire you. At all. _I'm_ technically your boss, not him. I'm the only one who has the power to fire you."

"Oh," he responded, calming down. But that didn't last _too_ long. "He still won't want me here! And I don't want my life bein' made miserable cuz of him!"

The young boy sighed, staring up at Joey with tear-filled eyes. "This isn't fair! You're just gonna leave! All I wanted was a friend to hang out with and I thought it'd be easier if you could work here. Seto's always so controlling! And this is why I don't have any friends!"

Joey gave him a sympathetic look, his protective brotherly instincts taking over. "I guess…I can put up with your brother for awhile."

_Got you_, Mokuba cackled inside his head. He knew his little acting skills would pay off one day.

"But if Kaiba starts throwin' knives at me or somethin', I'm outta here," the blond continued.

"It's a deal then," agreed the young boy, taking Joey by the arm and dragging him inside. "Seto won't be home for awhile, so let me show you the kitchen."

"Is this your way of tellin' me you're hungry?"

Mokuba looked back at him sheepishly. "It might be. Come on!"

Allowing himself to be dragged through the mansion—which the blond thought was a _little_ much—his jaw literally dropped when they stopped in the kitchen. It was like a dream come true. Everything looked like it had come out of a catalogue.

"What do you think?" asked Mokuba.

"I don't need a room. This place'll do me just fine," answered Joey dreamily as he started hugging the stove. They hadn't had equipment this good at his culinary school. It was just so amazing.

Growing embarrassed for the blond, Mokuba tried to pry Joey from the large appliance. When he succeeded, the young boy looked up at him meekly. "Would you, um…make some lunch? Please?"

Joey chuckled. "That's what I'm here for, right?"

With that, the blond started browsing through the kitchen. He wasn't too pleased with the amount of frozen meals stocked in there; it left few ingredients for a decent meal. Apparently, he'd have to get Mokuba to let him do a bit of food shopping. But he could make do.

"Ya good with havin' a sandwich?" inquired the blond, looking over his shoulder at Mokuba.

The young boy's dreams of delicious meals prepared by the blond plummeted. A sandwich? Joey had just graduated culinary school and wanted to make him a sandwich?

Noticing Mokuba's somber expression, Joey elaborated. "I'm plannin' on doin' a grilled chicken breast on ciabatta bread with hickory smoked bacon, tomato, and parmesan. Ya guys don't really have much for me to work with, so that's the best I can do for now as far as lunch goes."

"That's…actually a lot more than I expected. When you said sandwich, I was thinking more along the lines of peanut butter and jelly," the young boy replied honestly. "So…does that mean we get to go food shopping?"

Joey laughed at Mokuba's obvious excitement by that thought. "I guess so. I'd prefer it if there was more fresh food to work with, ya know?"

Nodding in agreement, the young boy plopped himself down on a chair and watched Joey get started on the meal. "Seto's normally in charge of getting all the food. But he just sends one of the maids to get a bunch of instant meals that can be heated up. He says he doesn't have the time or the patience for something as trivial as cooking."

"It doesn't have to be."

"What doesn't?"

"Cookin'. It doesn't have to be a pain. Instead of viewin' it as a chore, ya can make it fun." And then Joey started cracking up.

"What's so funny?" asked Mokuba.

"I was just thinkin'. Some parents—for their kids—will cut up weenies a certain way and when they're cooked, they'll curl so they look like an octopus. I was just tryin' to imagine the look on your brother's face if he had a helpin' of octopus weenies on his plate," the blond replied.

Mokuba burst out laughing by this. He could see it already: Seto taking his fork and poking at an octopus weenie as if it were something to be dissected. That visual would be priceless.

"So, uh…when's Kaiba comin' back?" started Joey as he checked the chicken he was cooking.

"A few hours, I think. He just had to go in to work for a meeting."

All conversation ceased at that point. The only other sound present was that of Joey preparing the meal. Sometime later, the blond plated and served. "Here ya go. Enjoy," Joey said softly. He watched as Mokuba picked up the sandwich and took a bite. A smile made its way onto his face when the young boy's eyes lit up.

Mokuba had never had a piece of chicken that was so tender and juicy. It was phenomenal! And the bacon! It was crispy and delicious and he couldn't get enough of it!

His happy delirium soon came to an end when he heard the front doors open and slam shut. No. It was too soon!

"Mokuba?"

Seto was home! Already?

"I-In here!" the young boy responded. He glanced worriedly at Joey before putting his sandwich back down on his plate.

"My meeting ended early, so—what the fucking hell is _he _doing here?" the brunet demanded, halting in the kitchen's entryway.

"Geez, curse much?" Joey muttered under his breath. Kaiba just glared at him.

"Joey's our new personal chef," Mokuba cried, jumping in front of his brother as if to prevent the two from getting into a physical altercation. "And he already made me lunch! It's really good, Seto."

The blond stared down Kaiba for a full minute before glancing down at the plate of food he'd made for himself. It was the same exact meal as Mokuba's, but he hadn't touched it yet. Well, it was now or never.

Picking up the plate, he gently moved the younger Kaiba out of the way before offering the dish to the brunet. "Here," said Joey.

Kaiba took the plate from him without a word, walked around the dining table, and promptly tossed the meal in the trash before walking over to the freezer, where he withdrew a meal and popped it into the microwave. A few deafening minutes later, the brunet took out his food and left the kitchen, leaving both his brother and Joey staring after him in shock.

Joey knew he could handle the verbal insults, the derogatory names, the fighting, and the arguing. But he couldn't handle the fact that Kaiba had thrown away the food he'd prepared without even trying it.

Mokuba looked up at the blond, noticing the devastation in his eyes. He was about to say something when a fire unlike any other sparked in Joey's amber orbs.

"He's gonna pay for that," the blond growled.

"Please don't fight with him!" Mokuba begged, tugging on Joey's sleeve.

"Oh, I'm not gonna fight with him. I'm gonna do somethin' better than that. Let's see him throw away my food when I toss out all his instant shit. Then he'll have no choice but to try my food."

"You mean, we're going to throw all of Seto's food away? And get new stuff?"

"Yep."

Sure, it sounded like a good idea; however, Mokuba couldn't help but worry about what his brother's reaction to that would be. One thing was for sure. It wouldn't be pretty.

* * *

_**Roasted Butternut Squash Soup **_

6 to 8 servings

1/2 pound butternut squash, halved lengthwise, seeded  
1 tablespoon butter  
1/2 cup onion sliced thinly  
3 garlic cloves sliced  
2 cups chicken broth  
Salt to taste  
1/2 teaspoon white pepper  
3/4 cup heavy cream, divided  
Fresh Thyme leaves for garnish

Spray 1 2-inch glass baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Place squash with cut side down in prepared dish. Pierce with a knife several times. Bake at 400° until tender, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven, scrape the butternut pulp into a bowl; discard the peel.

In a large saucepan melt butter over medium high heat, sauté the onion and garlic stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Add chicken broth, roasted butternut pulp, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add 1/2 cup cream, transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Return butternut squash soup mixture to the saucepan stirring constantly over medium heat, do not boil, until heated through and serve.

Garnish if desired, drawing initials of your guests on top the butternut squash soup with the remaining 1/4 cup cream; sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves and serve.

* * *

**End Chapter**


	3. Salad

Disclaimer – I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

*Rated T for Teen

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Salad**

Kaiba threw open the door to his bedroom, slammed it behind him, tossed his meal onto his desk, and collapsed face first onto his bed. He stayed like that for a few seconds before raising his head, drawing a pillow to him. Propping his head on it, he let out a heavy sigh, his expression relaxing. The brunet wished he could _feel _just as relaxed.

Coming home to find the one and only Joey Wheeler in his kitchen had _not _been something he'd been expecting upon arrival. He knew Mokuba had wanted to hire a personal chef, but did it have to be _him_? And furthermore, why didn't Mokuba tell him?

Rolling onto his back, Kaiba stared up at the ceiling as he continued to think. The blond would obviously be living here, too. As well as cooking. Bringing the pillow to his chest, he hugged it almost desperately. Why did the person he fell in love with back in high school have to waltz back into his life?

Sure, it had been two years since he'd last seen Joey, but that hadn't stopped thoughts of the blond from entering his mind. And then today, of all days, he just appeared in his kitchen. What was he going to do?

Obviously, he hadn't started off on the right foot. Throwing out the meal Joey had prepared had been unnaturally cruel, even for him. The food had _smelled _delicious and even _looked_ delicious, but he couldn't bear to take a bite. He knew that if he had, he would have fallen even more deeply in love with him than he already was.

Just the thought of loving someone so strongly, without knowing if they felt the same way in return, wasn't something he could handle. Especially with the blond; Joey hated him. It would be best just to drive him away.

Glancing at the clock, Kaiba nearly fell off the bed when he realized what time it was. Had he really been thinking for nearly an hour? Sitting up, the brunet got off the bed and walked over to his desk. He tossed the stupid meal he'd heated up into the trash. Well, now was the time to apologize to Mokuba, at least.

As he left his bedroom and went back downstairs, he paused on the steps when he saw his maids carrying large trash bags.

"What's going on?" Kaiba inquired coldly, slipping back into his stoic persona.

The maids froze.

"S-Sir, we were informed to throw out all the instant food from the kitchen," stammered one of the maids.

"On whose authority?"

"Y-Yours, sir."

Narrowing his eyes, the brunet left the staircase and approached the oratory maid. "And _who _said this?"

"The new chef, sir. Master Mokuba even vouched for him."

Dismissing the statuesque maids with a wave of his hand, Kaiba veered in the direction of the kitchen, overlooking the damage. Almost everything was empty. What the hell were they supposed to eat if there was nothing here?

"Where are they?" he snapped, his temper taking over.

"The young master and Mr. Wheeler?" replied one of the elder maids. Kaiba nodded. "They left to do some food shopping."

"Food shopping?" the brunet echoed.

"Yes," she replied, looking amused. "Apparently, your new chef can't work like this, so he's gone out with Master Mokuba to purchase fresher ingredients."

"Is that so?" It seemed the blond had more guts than he'd given him credit for. But was he looking to satisfy his own pride or to prove something? Kaiba rather hoped that it was the latter.

Smirking to himself, the brunet left the kitchen and headed for his study. Well, if Joey had something to prove, then so did he. Perhaps giving both of them a shot was just what they needed. However, the blond didn't know _what _he'd be getting himself into until it was…you know…too late.

* * *

_**Hearts of Romaine Salad**_

Serves 2

1 hearts of Romaine lettuce  
Small amount of salt to taste  
Balsamic Glaze  
2 small wedges aged Stilton cheese  
2 tablespoons Spiced Pecans  
2 very thin slices Italian Bread

Put bread slices on a sheet pan with a heavy pan on top to keep the slices flat as they bake at 300° for 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly toasted. _This can be done ahead of time._ Carefully remove bread slices from the oven (they are fragile and can break easily).

Cut lettuce in half lengthwise, add salt, and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Place on individual serving plates with the toasted bread slice, a cheese wedge and spiced pecans.

_**Spiced Pecans**_**  
**1/4 cup pecan pieces  
1/4 teaspoon butter, melted  
Pinch garlic salt  
1 - 2 drops Tabasco Sauce

Mix ingredients together; spread in a single layer on baking sheet. Broil for 1 - 3 minutes. _D__o not burn__. _

* * *

**End Chapter**


	4. Sorbet

Disclaimer – I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

*Rated T for Teen

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Sorbet**

Mokuba was practically bouncing off the walls when he and Joey returned to the mansion. They had so much food! So much fresh and delicious food! And Joey had said that for dinner, he'd be making a five course meal! A five course meal! Of fresh and delicious food!

"Maybe we shouldn't have let ya have ice cream," Joey commented as he observed the…prancing young boy.

"But it was so good and yummy and Ican'twaitfordinner!" Mokuba let out in once breath.

Yep. The kid's reaction to sugar was making him have second thoughts on his planned dessert. But maybe the rest of the food would counteract all that sugar.

Mokuba then happily addressed the maids to stock the kitchen with all the new food and scampered away…somewhere.

Rolling his eyes, Joey entered the kitchen, directing where the items should be put. When the maids had finished, the blond decided to prep for dinner. And he was going to make it a dinner to remember.

* * *

"Stop running in the hallway, Mokuba," ordered Kaiba as he stepped out of his study. He watched as his brother stopped so quickly, he nearly fell over.

"Seto!" he gasped as thoughts of what he and Joey had just done flashed through his mind. "U-Um…hi?"

The brunet narrowed his eyes at him. "Would you care to inform me as to why you had all our food thrown out?"

His eyes widening, the young boy started to panic. "Well, you see, uh…J-Joey said that he couldn't make us very good food because we didn't have a lot of variety. And with what we did have, it wouldn't work. So we tossed it all out and got a bunch of new stuff. Are you mad?"

"Am I to assume then that Wheeler will be making dinner?"

"Yes. He said it's gonna be a five course meal," Mokuba squeaked out. "You didn't answer my question, Seto."

"If his food is not to my liking," started the brunet before heading back into his study, "I will be."

* * *

A few hours later, Mokuba burst into the kitchen. "Is dinner ready yet?" he asked frantically.

"Hm? Not quite. Why?" responded Joey, looking up from what he was doing.

"Because Seto wants to join us for dinner!"

"And you're freakin' out because?"

"We don't have enough food!"

"But I made enough for the three of us."

"What? When?"

"When I started makin' dinner," Joey replied slowly. "Ya need to chill. It'll be fine."

Mokuba whined and left the kitchen to go meet Seto in the dining room. "Dinner will be ready in a bit," he announced.

His brother looked up from the newspaper he was reading before nodding, indicating that he'd heard. A few minutes later, Joey arrived.

"For the first course, we have a Rock Shrimp and Roma Tomato Risotto with green onions, chive oil, and parmesan," said the blond, placing the meal down in front of them.

They ate in silence, Joey's eyes glued to Kaiba as he waited for any type of reaction from the appetizer. Nothing.

Next, he returned with the second course, a French Onion Soup. Kaiba ate spoonful after spoonful, but still no response!

The third course was a Belgian Endive and Watercress Salad with goat cheese, toasted almonds, and a sherry vinaigrette. At this point, Joey was beginning to think Kaiba had no taste buds. There was no way a normal human being could sit there, eat, and not say a damn word or have any kind of fucking reaction! There was just no way!

So, he moved onto the fourth course. It was a Grilled Dry-Aged Filet Mignon with a pinot noir reduction, glazed pearl onions, and dauphine potatoes. And Kaiba continued to eat in fucking silence! It was enough to make the blond want to stab him with a steak knife.

Moving onto dessert seemed like a good idea right about now. Thank goodness it was the final course. If Kaiba didn't respond to his dessert—which people would kill for—he was giving up. There was no question about that. So he placed the Chocolate Truffle Torte in front of them and watched.

"Oh…my…GOD!" Mokuba screamed, devouring his torte in a matter of seconds.

Joey's jaw dropped in shock. "You're not supposed to eat it like that! It's very rich and—"

"Mokuba, since you've finished dinner, I expect you to clean up and get ready for bed," Kaiba interrupted.

"But—"

"_Now_, Mokuba." As the young boy made to leave, so did Joey. "I didn't say you could go yet…_chef_."

The blond stopped and glared at him as Kaiba rose from his seat, walking over to him casually. "What do ya want?"

"Don't you want me to tell you what I thought of your meal?"

Joey's glare faltered. "Okay. So what did ya think?"

Kaiba inched closer to the blond, his face mere inches away. The brunet wanted so desperately to kiss him, but the time wasn't right. Not yet. He knew he could reveal what he felt about the meal more efficiently in a simple kiss rather than words. Being a man of action made him that way.

"Well?" Joey continued, growing impatient.

Looking down into the heated amber pools, Kaiba inwardly smiled and placed a hand on top of the blond's head. He ruffled his hair lightly before stepping away, leaving Joey to stare after him in shock. "I look forward to tomorrow's meals," he said, finally exiting the dining room.

Joey gaped after him, subconsciously putting a hand to where Kaiba's had once been. When he'd touched him, the blond had been about to punch his lights out, but then…he'd ruffled his hair almost…lovingly? Was that the right term to use here? Or was it something else?

The tingling sensation left by the brunet left him immobile, butterflies fluttering around in his stomach. What was he feeling all of a sudden? And why did he feel like…he enjoyed it?

What _was _this feeling?

* * *

_**Lemon Sorbet**_

1/2 cup sugar  
1/2 cup water  
Zest of 1 lemon plus 1/2 cup lemon juice  
Mint sprigs for garnish

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Add zest (reserve a small amount for garnish) and freshly squeezed lemon juice, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Strain the mixture then transfer to a shallow container, cover and freeze until firm.

Remove from freezer, puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Transfer into a small bowl, cover and freeze again.

When ready to plate up, use a melon baller to make little balls. You can serve 1 to 3 balls per person in cordial stemmed glasses or small dessert dishes before the main course. Garnish with zest, mint sprigs and serve.

You could also serve this palate cleanser with a gourmet salad or as an amuse bouche on a Chinese spoon with fresh fruit…very gourmet!

* * *

**End Chapter**


	5. Meat

Disclaimer – I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

*Rated T for Teen

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Meat**

The next morning, Joey got up even before Kaiba...which seemed strange to him. The blond figured the CEO would be the 'up at the crack of dawn' type of person. Apparently, he didn't have him pegged as well as he thought he had.

But thinking about the brunet's habits was not something he should be thinking about right now. In fact, he _should _be thinking about what to make for breakfast. It was a difficult decision. Joey didn't know what Kaiba liked to have for breakfast. Hell, he didn't even know if the guy even _ate _breakfast. All he knew was that the brunet guzzled down coffee as if his life depended on it.

Inwardly groaning, the blond moved over to the pantry and looked inside. Yesterday, Kaiba had said he would look forward to today's meals. And he was determined to get more of a reaction out of the brunet. The blank looks and placid expressions were going to drive him up a wall. It was enough to make him want to scream!

Determination in his eyes, Joey started grabbing ingredients that would make the CEO come begging for more. He paused. That sounded a bit wrong.

All he wanted was to get a rise out of him. The blond paled. That didn't sound right either. What the fuck was wrong with his mind?

* * *

Kaiba stepped out of his bedroom with his eyes closed, looking disheveled. Or rather, a coffee-depraved zombie. He needed coffee. And all he had to do was go downstairs, put a pot on, and wait for—

He inhaled deeply as he reached the bottom of the stairs and opened his eyes. He smelled coffee. But not the coffee that tasted bitter and left a sour taste in your mouth. The coffee that once you took a sip, the heavens opened and light poured down while angels—

The brunet felt like bashing his head against a wall. He must really need coffee is he was thinking like that. But where was the smell of coffee coming from? No one drank it but him!

Then it dawned on him. And his eyes widened dramatically. Bolting back upstairs, he rushed into his bedroom to make himself look more presentable. There was no way in hell he'd let Joey see him like _this_!

* * *

Mokuba's nose twitched. He opened his eyes. His stomach growled. What was that delectable aroma wafting into his bedroom? It was as if some superb chef had entered the mansion and was cooking breakfast for a king.

The young boy blinked a few times as memories of yesterday came flooding back. When said memories and his brain finally made the connection, he bolted from his bed, threw on some clothes and flew out of his room, where he collided into his brother.

Sprawled out on the floor, the Kaiba brothers sat up slowly, trying to figure out what had just happened.

"Mokuba, what did I tell you about running in the hallway?" Kaiba snapped at his younger brother.

"Sorry, Seto. I just…smelled the food and my body took off," Mokuba replied meekly.

He resisted rolling his eyes. The brunet had no right to condone him for his behavior if he was pretty much in that same state himself. What heavenly debauchery had the blond concocted to make them act in such a way?

Remaining silent, they rose to their feet and quickly made their way to the kitchen. Peeking inside, they watched as Joey started carrying some plates to the dining room. When he came back in, the blond spotted them and smiled.

"Breakfast will be ready soon. So ya can go into the dinin' room for now."

They nodded mutely and made their way to the next room. As they sat down at the table, Joey returned and placed a plate in front of each of them. It was filled with both buttermilk and blueberry pancakes, applewood smoked bacon, and pork sausage. Eyes panning the table, Kaiba took in the bottle of maple syrup and the other two plates. One was filled with seasonal fruit while the other had home fried potatoes.

And then Joey left again. When he returned this time, he brought a tray. The blond placed a small cup of milk and orange juice in front of Mokuba and when he moved onto Kaiba, the brunet gulped.

"I wasn't sure what kinda coffee ya liked, so I made ya a cappuccino. Is that okay?" Joey asked, placing the mug before him.

The brunet stared down at the cappuccino, his mouth nearly watering because of the smell. Why did it smell so good? And would it taste as good as it smelled?

Hesitantly, he lifted the mug to his lips and took a small sip. His taste buds went into overdrive. What had Joey done to create such a godly liquid? Sold his soul? It was just so…so…

He wanted to throw the blond onto the dining table and ravage him to show how much he loved the cappuccino, but thought better of it. Mokuba was here after all.

"How is it?" Joey inquired, looking at him hopefully.

Kaiba swallowed hard. He wanted him to answer? There was no way he could answer in this state. If he did, he was bound to say something stupid!

"Well?" the blond insisted.

"Iloveyou," Kaiba blurted. He paled. Had those words actually come out of his mouth?

* * *

_**Beef Tenderloin Steaks - Mushroom-Stuffed**_

Serves 4

_**Mushroom Stuffing**_**  
**3 ounces fresh mushrooms, finely chopped  
6 tablespoons shallots minced  
2 cloves garlic, minced  
2 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil  
Salt and pepper to taste  
2 teaspoons fresh thyme

In skillet over medium high heat, sauté mushrooms, shallots and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed; remove from heat; add salt, pepper and thyme.

_**Beef Tenderloin Steaks**_**  
**4 8 ounce, 1-1/2-inch thick Beef Tenderloin steaks  
2 tablespoons butter  
**  
**Cut a small pocket in side of each steak, stuff tenderloin steak with cooked mushroom stuffing mixture; secure closed with toothpicks. Season the beef steaks with salt and pepper. In same skillet over medium high heat sear steaks in butter 5 to 6 minutes per side; remove from heat.

_**Tomato Flower Petal Garnish**__(can be made 1 day ahead, covered and refrigerated)__  
_2 small Roma tomatoes peeled, per person  
Salt and pepper

Cut tomatoes into 4 wedges, remove core and seeds. Season inside with salt and pepper. _Can be made ahead, covered and refrigerated__._

_**Assembly**_**  
**Flower Petal garnish _(see recipe above)_  
Olive oil for tomato  
Fresh Thyme leaves for tomato garnish  
4 Fresh Rosemary sprigs for garnish

For each plate, place 8 tomato flower petals, peeled side up, in center of plate making a circle; brush petals with oil, sprinkle with thyme. Place mushroom-stuffed steak on tomato petals, add rosemary sprig and serve.

* * *

**End Chapter**


	6. Fish

Disclaimer – I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

*Rated T for Teen

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Fish**

"What did ya just say?"

Those words really _did _come out of his mouth! Kaiba's mouth opened a few times to speak, but no words came out. All he could do was imitate a fish while Mokuba choked on his breakfast and Joey stared at him as if he'd grown a third head. Not a second head. A _third _head.

Finally finding his voice, the brunet immediately gave an explanation not even a small child would believe. "I was talking to the cappuccino." Oh, yeah. _That _sounded convincing.

"Ya…were talkin' to the cappuccino," the blond repeated.

"Exactly," Kaiba stated unflinchingly.

"Other than me, you've never said anything like that to anyone before! Especially to food!" Mokuba declared, finally over his choking episode. He shrank down in his seat when his older brother gave him the 'shut up or die' glare. Then it sank in. "You know what? I think I'll finish my breakfast back in my room. Okay? Bye!"

They watched as the young boy took off to parts unknown. When he was gone, the two looked back at each other, not knowing what to say.

Joey was the first one to break the silence. "Well, I'll leave ya alone to eat then," he said, smiling. But the smile looked forced.

As Kaiba watched the blond leave, he couldn't help but want to chase after him. Joey had looked…disappointed? Was that the right word? Could it be that the person he'd fallen so hard for actually liked him in return?

Maybe it was just wishful thinking. Looking back down at the cappuccino, he stared at it, feeling utterly lost as to what to do next.

* * *

Joey gripped the kitchen sink as if it was a lifeline. When Kaiba had uttered those words, his heart had nearly stopped and he'd gotten that weird feeling in the pit of his stomach again. There was no denying it now. He had fallen for Kaiba. And he had fallen hard.

But there was no way that the brunet would like him in _that _way. He hated him…didn't he? Besides, Kaiba hadn't seemed too thrilled to know that he'd be working here. And they'd always had some sort of an outrageous rivalry.

However…last night had been…a bit different. Kaiba had treated him almost…fondly after dinner. And that was when he'd started having those weird feelings about him. But today…

There was no way he'd be able to work here feeling like this. He didn't want to, but it didn't really seem like he had much of a choice. He had to quit.

* * *

Kaiba jumped when he heard something shatter in the kitchen. What the hell was that? Standing up, he made to investigate and found Joey crouching on the floor; he was picking up glass.

"What happened?" the brunet asked, his eyes panning the blond's body in search of cuts.

"I knocked a bowl down," he muttered. "I'll pay for it."

"I don't care about that. Did you hurt yourself?"

Joey looked up at the CEO, confusion evident in his amber eyes. He didn't care that he'd broken something? And he…he wanted to know if he was hurt instead? Kaiba _had _to be on some sort of medication. He just _had _to be. There was no other explanation.

"I'm…fine. And I'll buy ya a new bowl."

"For the last time, I don't care about the damn bowl!" Kaiba snapped, grabbing the blond's hands and yanking him upward. The shards of the broken bowl Joey had been holding fell to the floor.

The blond let out a surprised yelp when he suddenly found himself pushed up against the counter, Kaiba towering over him with a weird look in his eyes. Joey inhaled sharply when the brunet leaned in toward his face, their breathing unstable.

"You're such an idiot," Kaiba whispered.

Joey glared at him. "I'm not an—"

He didn't have a chance to finish what he'd been about to say. Hell, he couldn't even remember what he'd been about to say. All he was aware of right now was that Kaiba was kissing him. Quite heatedly, too. But before he could appropriately respond, the brunet pulled away, looking both hurt and hopeful.

"I care about _you_."

* * *

_**Salmon and Cucumber-Cream Sauce**_

Serves 2

1/4 cup cucumbers, peeled, seeded, sliced  
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil  
1 tablespoon butter  
2 (6 to 8 ounce) Salmon fillets, 1-inch thick  
Salt and pepper, to taste  
1/4 cup dry white wine, divided  
Juice of 1/4 lemon  
1/4 cup heavy cream

Cut peeled cucumber in half lengthwise scrape out seeds with tip of a spoon, slice 1/4-inch thick; set aside.

In an ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Season fillets with salt and pepper sauté 2 minutes per side. Add 2 tablespoons wine, place in the oven and bake at 400° for 4 to 6 minutes. _D__o not over bake__._

Transfer baked fillets to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm. Drain and discard the oil and butter from the skillet and deglaze the pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons white wine. Add lemon juice, cream and sliced cucumber cooking just until sauce coats the back of a spoon and cucumbers are still tender crisp. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon sauce onto plates, add the baked fillets and serve on top asparagus spears steamed al dente if desired.

* * *

**End Chapter**


	7. Dessert

Disclaimer – I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

*Rated T for Teen

* * *

**Chapter 7 – Dessert**

"Ya…what?" Joey gasped in shock. He was so stunned, he was swaying.

Kaiba acted instinctively when he witnessed the blond go limp. Catching him, the brunet realized Joey had, in fact, fainted. And he really didn't know how to feel about that.

All he'd done was confess and the blond had to go and pass out on him. What kind of a person did that to people? Kaiba knew he'd never be able to live with himself after this. Could he have been any blunter in his confession? You didn't just blurt it out like that!

Joey stirred. Was he waking up? How would he react when he woke and realized he was in Kaiba's arms?

Panicking, the brunet semi-dragged the blond over to the kitchen table and laid his back against it. He was in the process of easing his head down when Joey's eyes popped open, staring up at him. The position they were in looked awkward, felt awkward, and undoubtedly _was_ awkward. But what was he to do other than stare right back at him?

The blond cleared his throat—drawing Kaiba's attention to his mouth—and made to sit up. But the movement only brought the two of them closer together. Their faces were mere inches away from each other again and neither one of them dared move.

"Are you all right now?" Kaiba asked softly.

"Yes," Joey replied just as quietly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Good." As the brunet pulled away, Joey's hands shot out to stop him.

"Wait!" the blond cried, his eyes swirling with emotion. "Did…ya mean what ya said? About ya…carin' about me?"

Kaiba paused and looked back down at him. It was now or never. And this was his only chance…and the opportunity of a lifetime. The answer was plain and simple. "Yes."

"And…the kiss?"

The brunet nodded slowly. "That, too," he replied, his voice sounding hoarse. He needed for Joey to say something—anything—so that he could breathe again. Kaiba didn't know how much more of this he could endure. "I meant it all."

"Even the cappuccino?" Joey inquired, a small smirk crossing his lips.

He was teasing him now? Well, Kaiba couldn't let that one slide. Leaning back toward the blond, he inched closer and closer until Joey's back was pressed firmly against the table, making the smaller of the two gulp nervously.

"I admit, I loved the cappuccino…but not as much as you," Kaiba admitted. "Want me to show you?"

Joey couldn't believe it. This was really happening. It wasn't a dream after all! He reached up with shaking fingers and ran them through Kaiba's hair, nodding in response.

Their lips met once more, but this time, Joey was ready for it, responding eagerly. Enough so, that they broke away, panting breathlessly before kissing deeply once more.

It was wonderful, sweet, and pure. And it was more than anything either of them could have asked for. Breaking away once again, they stared at each other longingly.

"I love you," Kaiba whispered, kissing the blond once more of the lips.

"Well, what do ya know? I think I might love ya, too," Joey replied, smiling happily. They both couldn't wait to find out more.

And who knew? Maybe there _was_ a recipe for love. In spite of everything, two unlikely ingredients made up something spectacular after all.

* * *

_**Chocolate Mousse**_

Serves 8

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk  
1 envelope gelatin  
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder  
2 ounces plus 1 teaspoon for garnish unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped  
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar  
1 tablespoon vegetable oil  
3 cups heavy whipping cream, divided  
2 teaspoons vanilla  
Mint sprigs for garnish

In a saucepan over medium heat dissolve gelatin in the milk. In a small bowl combine the cocoa powder, 2 ounces finely chopped unsweetened chocolate, sugar and vegetable oil; add to the milk stirring constantly until smooth; remove from heat to cool. Cover and chill.

Whip 2 cups heavy whipping cream with vanilla to stiff peaks, fold into the chilled chocolate mixture. Spoon into individual dessert bowls or martini glasses, cover and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to serve the mousse, whip remaining 1 cup heavy whipping cream to soft peaks, divide among individual bowls or glasses, garnish with mint sprigs, the remaining 1 teaspoon finely chopped chocolate and serve.

* * *

**End**


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